


not perfect, but wonderful

by sunshinedoie



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, author doesn't know what's going on, donghyuck Gay, i think, idk how to tag pls, musician! mark, there are lots of flashbacks, they're whipped lmao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:14:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23117563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshinedoie/pseuds/sunshinedoie
Summary: Popular musician Mark Lee reminisces on his times with his old love, Lee Donghyuck. They're always pulled apart, but find each other in the end. Their relationship isn't perfect, but it's wonderful.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 9
Kudos: 39





	not perfect, but wonderful

**Author's Note:**

  * For [romeas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/romeas/gifts).



> HAPPY BIRTHDAY AIDEN!!
> 
> i truly only finished this fic for you but she's my BABY :)

Mark remembered the first time they met. It was a long time ago, before everything had changed.

_It was a chilly Monday morning, and Mark Lee was about to start his first day at a new school. His family had just moved to Seoul from Vancouver, and it was difficult to adjust, but he could do it._

_He had been the new kid before; he knew how this worked. Someone would come to help him find all his classes and introduce him to the school; the usual._

_Mark did not, however, expect it to go like that._

_When he stepped into the office and introduced himself, he was presented with the most beautiful boy he had ever had the pleasure of seeing. This kid was his guide for the day (he later learned that his name was Lee Donghyuck)._

_The tour went by smoothly, and it left Mark feeling hopeful for his future at this school. The image of Donghyuck’s smile resided in his head for the longest time afterward._

They had been fifteen and sixteen then. How quickly the years pass by, he thought.

_Mark and Donghyuck became the best of friends soon after that, inseparable. They spent nearly all of their time together and they each took turns sleeping over at the other’s house. Sometimes Mark played the guitar while Donghyuck sang, sometimes they would simply curl up under the blankets together._

_Mark didn’t know when his feelings for his best friend surfaced. All he knew was that he had it bad._

_Of course, he never even hinted at it to the younger; after all, what if it ruined their friendship?_

_And so Mark sat in silence._

He shifted in his chair. This song wasn’t coming to him as easily as he’d hoped. Oh well.

_And then one day, he accidentally asked Donghyuck out. He wasn’t sure how it happened, but all of a sudden he had burst out with the question, and then Donghyuck’s arms were around him, tears of joy dripping down their cheeks._

_Everything was perfect with Donghyuck. Everything._

_Mark loved every second of his time with the younger, and yet, it wasn't enough time._

_The summer after Mark’s senior year was their lowest point. They hardly spent time together and constantly fought. Mark had gotten accepted to a school back home in Canada, and he had decided to go, but Hyuck wanted him to stay._

_It was a hard decision, but after many late-night phone calls, they broke up. It was the best solution, although not one they really wanted._

_Mark went to school in Canada, Donghyuck remained in Seoul._

Mark remembered the many weeks he has spent crying over Donghyuck, writing songs and drinking his sorrows away. Those certainly weren't his best moments. But he had seen Donghyuck again. 

_Mark had been invited to some sort of music festival in New York during his second year; he was meant to play one of his songs there._

_It was an honor, as far as he knew. Critics from all over were supposed to be there._

_Right as he was preparing to go up on stage to perform, he caught a glimpse of golden skin and the sleeve of a leather jacket. It couldn't be._

_Donghyuck was there._

_His eyes followed the younger until he sat down, ready to enjoy the performance. It wasn't until Mark was on stage that their eyes locked and Donghyuck’s mouth opened in surprise._

_His eyes said it all._

_And so Mark performed with all his heart, the words reaching out to Donghyuck. The people applauded and cheered. They loved him!_

_Mark hadn't wanted to think about what that meant for his career, not just yet. His thoughts were filled with Donghyuck._

_After the performance and after talking to a few people who offered him a career in music, Mark did what he truly wanted to at that moment and ran to Donghyuck, wrapping him up in the tightest hug he could manage._

_“God, Mark, you're squeezing the life out of me,” Donghyuck joked._

_And with that, Mark locked their lips together. He was worried he had read this wrong; what if Donghyuck no longer loved him?_

_But his worries were put to rest when Donghyuck leaned into the kiss, pulling Mark closer._

_They hailed the first taxi they could find; after all, the rest of the music festival didn't matter. Donghyuck did._

_The two of them had barely walked into Mark’s hotel room when their lips met once again. It was everything they had wanted, and yet it wasn’t enough._

_Mark pulled back. “Maybe we should talk first,” he had said._

_Donghyuck kissed him again. “Tomorrow? Right now all I want to do is this.”_

_And Mark couldn’t help but agree. “Tomorrow.”_

That was the night their relationship changed to something more. Something intimate and purely _theirs._

_The next morning, they talked it out. They’d come to the conclusion that distance wasn’t really that big of a deal; after all, they were only a few hours away._

_And so Donghyuck and Mark were boyfriends again. As it should be, Mark had thought._

_Donghyuck took a shower as Mark sorted through the cards that potential employers had given him. He selected one that looked promising and called the number on the card._

_While he was on the phone, Donghyuck came out of the bathroom, dressed in one of Mark’s oversized shirts. He walked up behind him and planted a kiss on the back of his neck._

_Mark finished setting up an interview with the company (they said he could come in that day if he wanted) and hung up, turning around to meet Donghyuck._

_He planted a kiss on his cheek with a smile. This would be a good day._

_And it was. Mark remembered going to the interview and learning that it was truly the job he wanted. The job he had always longed for. Donghyuck had been upset, yet again, to learn that Mark would end up in Los Angeles for this job._

_The universe was always trying to keep them apart. But they stayed together. Mark wrote so many songs about the younger in LA; it was hard to keep track of how many. He missed his Hyuckie, but the video calls and hundreds of texts seemed to satisfy the two._

_At least it did for a while._

_But then the daily calls turned into weekly calls, monthly calls. They only exchanged a few texts; there was hardly any time in their schedules that allowed it._

_Mark’s career was flourishing, and Hyuck was thinking of heading back to Korea to be with his family._

_They fooled themselves with the thought that they could stay together through all of this._

_Soon, every call, every text started yet another fight. Mark didn’t understand why Donghyuck wouldn’t just be happy for him; Donghyuck seemed to think Mark didn’t understand him at all._

_And so they broke up. For good this time._

Mark hadn’t seen or heard of Donghyuck since then. He had figured that was where their story ended.

_He struggled to perform and write for a while after they broke things off, but the excitement from starting his dream job and living in a wonderful place soon replaced the sadness._

_Mark had acquired a large fanbase in a short period of time. They seemed to love how genuine he was and how truly kind he was._

_He released an album soon after he got the job, and it was doing wonders for him._

_Mark Lee had never been happier._

_After a year or so, the dull ache that was Donghyuck had essentially faded. It came back every once in a while; Mark was weak. But his heart had finally accepted that Donghyuck was his past, not his future. His future was music._

Thoughts of Donghyuck filled his head, and the words spilled out onto the page. After all this time, the boy was still Mark’s inspiration. Unfortunate, truly. 

He had nearly finished writing when his phone rang, which was odd. His manager always just texted him.

He looked at his phone, but didn't recognize the number. Oh well, might as well answer it, see what's going on. Hey, he's bored. 

“Hello?”

The caller took a deep breath before responding. 

_“Hi, Mark? It's Donghyuck.”_

Mark gasped. “Hyuck… how did you get my number?”

_“That's unimportant. I just got off my flight and was wondering if I could come see you?”_

Mark hesitated. Would he be able to handle that?

_“Wait, uh, nevermind. I don't want to intrude-”_

“Of course you can come over. I'll text you the address.”

Oh, boy. This would be interesting. 

He spent the next thirty minutes or so tidying up a bit around his apartment. There really wasn't a reason to clean, but hey, Donghyuck was back. 

A knock sounded on his door. His Hyuckie was here. 

Mark opened the door and gazed at him. He looked so different, and yet he hadn't changed at all. 

He invited him in, and they sat on the couch. Usually, this would be awkward, but it felt like a breath of fresh air. 

They hugged each other tightly after a moment, neither of them really knowing what to say. 

Donghyuck smelled like summer. There was no other way to describe it. He missed this. 

Donghyuck pulled back. “Mark? I have news.”

“You're pregnant?”

They laughed. “Noooo!” Donghyuck exclaimed, “I'm moving to LA, I have a job here now!”

Mark gasped. No way. 

“Really? Oh my God, Hyuck, that's amazing.”

They hugged again, happy tears falling down their cheeks. They would be okay.

The next few days were spent getting ice cream and talking for hours about what this meant for them. Mark knew they weren't perfect, but they always found each other in the end. 

Donghyuck was his soulmate, and nothing would change that.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!! if you would like to see more, follow me on twitter @sunshinedoie!!


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